Question

Christmas is perhaps the most important holiday in American culture. On Christmas Eve, children sit out with parents in the living room hanging stockings, setting up a Christmas tree, eating candy canes, and setting up milk and cookies for Santa Claus. Perhaps the most beloved figure in American history, Santa Claus has become an important icon for Christmas.

I remember believing in Santa when I was a very young girl. However, as I grew older, I learned many facts that “proved” his existence as false. Always inquisitive by nature and very keen on the scientific method of experimentation, I was determined to use tests and observations to determine whether Santa Claus was real.

The first year of tests happened when I was 5. I decided that if I stayed up all night on Christmas Eve, I could see if Santa really did come down the chimney. However, that was a futile attempt, I fell asleep that year. The next year, I was able to test if location was an issue with Santa’s deliveries. That year, my family spent Christmas with the family of one of my mother’s friends. At the time, I decided that if Santa was all-knowing he would know I wasn’t home. Sure enough, there was a pretty pink package waiting for me the next morning. At age 7, I came up with my ultimate test to see if Santa was real. That year, I didn’t send out my Christmas letter to Santa. On Christmas Eve, my mother dragged me to our local Wal-Mart and led me around the toy section. I refused to say a word, but did let my eye linger on a ballet set. I figured that “Santa” wouldn’t know what to get me because he shouldn’t be able to read my mind. However, mother would know everything that caught my eye in the store. If I got the ballet set the next morning, I would have my evidence. Christmas morning, there was the ballet set, sitting under the tree. As I didn’t use it much, mother ended up returning it a few days later. She claimed Santa was generous enough to leave a receipt. That was the end to my mission to discover the existence of Santa.

Now, I can look back on all of these with fond nostalgia(怀旧). The magic and mystery of it all made Christmas a fun time. Santa was a big part of my childhood.

1.Children do all the things on Christmas Eve except______

set up a Christmas tree

hang stockings and eat candy canes

prepare milk and cookies for Santa Claus

wait for Santa Claus with their parents

2. The underlined word “futile” means____

A. unreal B. unusual

C. unsuccessful D. unreasonable

3. How did the writer prove the existence of Santa Claus as false?

A. He stayed up all night on Christmas Eve and saw Santa come down the chimney.

B. He found that Santa was all-knowing and could make the deliveries accurate

C. He didn’t send out his Christmas letter but still got his Christmas present

D. He used the receipt left by Santa to return his present

4. The writer wants to tell us that_____

A. He proved the existence of Santa Claus as false.

B. Christmas and Santa is a part of his life as well as his child

C. Christmas plays an important role in American culture

D. Santa Claus is the most popular figure in American history

 

Answer 1

1.D

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】

试题分析：本文讲述了作者对他童年的怀念，因为他的童年一大部分是圣诞老人陪伴过的。

1.On Christmas Eve, children sit out with parents in the living room hanging stocking… setting up milk and cookies for Santa Claus.可知他们并不是等待圣诞老人，故选D

2.I fell asleep that year可知我因为睡了而使这个企图无效。故选C

3.if I stayed up all night on ..Santa really did come down the chimney可知作者想整晚不睡觉来观察圣诞老人爬下烟囱。故选A

4.Santa was a big part of my childhood.可知圣诞老人是他童年的一大部分。故选B

考点：考查记叙阅读类